1.31.2015

1.30.2015

When I was younger, I was semi-obsessed with MTV’s My Super Sweet 16 {which only increased after reading Kate Brian’s Sweet 16}. It was one of those after-school guilty pleasures that was almost embarrassing to admit due to how outlandish the scenarios were, how outrageous the characters were {this includes both the girls – and occasional guy – and their parents}, and how over. the. top. the party planning process and parties themselves were. My main reason for tuning in? I kind of loved ‘going’ dress shopping with the girls.

Jetting off to Paris to find the perfect dress? It totally happened! Trotting in and out of seriously luxe department store dressing rooms? Kind of a requirement for every episode. The show, essentially, served as a visual for the life you wished you were living during your teenage years, amiright? The awesome thing about My Super Sweet 16 was that they focused on a Quinceanera every now and again, which was somehow even more scandalous than the typical episodes for 2 reasons: a} the girls were younger yet managed to be even more high-maintenance and demanding; b} the dresses were a billion times more frou frou fabulous – very much like the 15 Quinceanera Dresses you’ll find at DressesOfGirl. Here are my Top 3 finds – you’ll love them, I promise!

Ball Gown Scoop Tulle Floor-length Lace Quinceanera Dresses {$329.39}
That tiny sliver of midriff though...so on fleek. I have forever loved special occasion dresses that show off the tiniest hint of belly - especially when paired with a full, frothy, floor-length skirt {and ballerina bun, of course!}. It’s the reason why I was so enamored with the Christian Siriano look Sarah Hyland wore to the 2014 Emmy Awards, and why I’m fully swooning over this gorgeous dress. I want to open my closet and find it hanging there tomorrow morning. Seriously.

Sweetheart A-line Satin Tulle Floor-length Rhinestone Quinceanera Dresses {$164.29}Rhinestones are a girl’s best friend, yes? Quinceanera dresses tend to follow a consistent OTT trend {never a bad thing, mind you}, so I kind of adore this one for being slightly tamer. The rhinestone bodice brings just enough bling to make you standout and sparkle; while the champagne-toned tulle skirt is ladylike and feminine without toeing the cupcake-esque line.

Ball Gown Sweetheart Organza Sweep Train Beading Quinceanera Dresses {$361.09}So not my typical style, but something I’m seriouslyseriously swooning over at the moment. The skirt is so very Scarlett O’Hara / Gone with the Wind and seems ideal for a night of dancing. The subtlebeading on the bodice doesn’t hurt things either. Lovelove!

1.29.2015

Grace, precision, poise...the life of a ballerina is brimming with all of the above; but it's also full of femininity and fearlessness - two things that should make any appearance in any and all aspects of a girl's life; including her makeup bag. Here, 9 of my personal faves for adding a little ballet beautiful to your life.

1.28.2015

The e.l.f. Disney Villains 12 Piece Nail Polish Collection has been in my possession since Christmas 2013, but I've only begun using it over the past few months. Not too long ago I showed you swatches of the 3 Maleficent shades, and today I'm bringing you the shades of The Evil Queen {of Snow White fame obvi}. The shades of Cruella De Vil and Ursula will be coming soon.

clockwise from top left: Pot of Gold; Cranberry; Thunderstorm.

Cranberry is a Deep Metallic Red with Gold Microshimmer. It's like Christmas in a bottle {and so apropos for the yearly Thanksgiving feast - which is how I'll be wearing it this year}. Cranberry is hyper pigmented and such a lush + beautiful shade for the holiday season. Formula was phenomenal - super easy to work with, and very quick-dry. This shade actually dried semi-matte for me, so you definitely need a top coat for shine! This is 2 coats.

Pot of Gold is a Metallic Gold. Le sigh...it's like liquid metal, yes? Pot of Gold is another stunning holiday shade {that also looks beautiful for year-round sparkle}. The formula, again, was great here. Bonus: No brushstrokes!This is 2 coats.

Thunderstorm is a Deep Teal/Dark Green/Stormy Gray Creme. Not sure how they did it, but OMGe.l.f. somehow managed to capture angry, about-to-downpour storm clouds in a bottle. I know. This shade makes me think of the Furies that always seemed present around the Underworld's Hades and Persephone in Greek Mythology {I read a lot}. The formula for Thunderstorm was slightly thinner than that of Cranberry and Pot of Gold, but built to opacity nicely. This is 2 coats.

AVAILABILITY: This particular set was a 2013 Limited Edition; however, you can buy the bottles individually for $2.00 eachhere {some shades are no longer available}.

1.26.2015

I debated posting this review because, in all honesty, I'm not a fan of this color. But...I'm not always going to love every nail color, and that's okay; you have to post the good with the bad, so here's the bad.

Initially I thought ooh a pearlized gray, that's new - and it is; but I don't like how it looks on me. Truth: Illusionary gave me corpse hands. Too harsh? I don't think so. Something about the lavender-meets-gray undertones in this color brought out a purple/red hue near my cuticles that just read creepy.

Formula was good; though Illusionary looks sheer, it actually reaches full opacity with just a couple of coats, and doesn't chip. I think this color would look good on someone with darker skin; if you have super pale skin {like me}, it just doesn't work.

1.25.2015

If the wedding dress choices of Jessica Biel, Reese Witherspoon, and Amber Tamblyn are anything to go by {the first two wore pink wedding gowns, the last wore yellow}, officially gone are the days when winter white gowns dominated the wedding dress {http://www.weddingshe.com/list/Wedding-Dresses-2015-112577/} scene; now wedding dresses are more attuned to color, off-whites, and a little bubbly {you'll see what I mean}.

Discount Wedding Dresses 2015 is all about sparkling, shimmering, blush tones - we're talking Champagne Wedding of wedding from weddingshe; dresses in rosy pinks, screen siren silvers, and my personal favorite, Discount Champagne Wedding Dresses. WeddingShe has a stunning selection of all of the above, but my top picks include this quartet of decadence:

1.24.2015

When Pantone announced that 2015's Color of the Year was Marsala, I was super excited because I love any color in the wine, merlot, marsala, cranberry, raisin family {there are so many variations of the color, right?}. My only issue with Marsala {or any dark color for that matter} is washing it. I am always worried about the color fading, so I typically wash dark shades as little as possible - but my discovery of Clorox® 2 Darks & Denim is totally changing that.

Clorox was kind enough to send me the very Diane von Furstenberg-inspired Layered Wrap Top in Raisin Arizona from Old Navy, along with a bottle of Clorox® 2 Darks & Denim to see just how well Marsala can keep its color when treated with a detergent made specifically for darks. Along with the products, Clorox sent along some handy tips for removing stains and keeping darks from fading:

Treating Tough Stains on Marsala and other dark-colored clothes:

For tough stains, like wine coffee and grass, be sure to pre-treat. First, remove the garment: do not treat clothing while wearing it.

Remove all loose dirt from the fabric and blot wet stains with a clean absorbent cloth.

Apply liquid Clorox® 2 Darks & Denim and rub it in.

Wait several minutes – don’t let it dry – then wash with like colors.

Got Specific Stains?

Got a tough deodorant stain? Apply liquid Clorox® 2 Darks & Denim directly to the deodorant stain and rub in. Wait 3-5 minutes (don't let it dry on the fabric), then wash immediately in the hottest water recommended on the care label with detergent and additional Clorox® 2 Darks & Denim based on your load size.

Spilled coffee during the commute? Rinse the stain from the back with cold water – it prevents it from sinking deeper into the fabric. When you’re home, pre-treat with Clorox® 2 Darks & Denim. Let the garment soak in cool water for a few minutes then launder with regular detergent on the hottest recommended water setting.Whether in this season’s hottest shade of Marsala or another amazing shade – lipstick can spell disaster for clothes. Some people swear by hairspray to prevent it from setting on the go. When you get home put a clean, dry cloth on the stain. Dab (don’t rub) the back of the stain with dish soap on a damp cloth. Be careful not to transfer the lipstick back onto the garment. Wash on the hottest recommended water setting with regular detergent and Clorox® 2 Darks & Denim.

It’s the holiday season, which means that while you’re getting festive, you may encounter a liquor or red wine spill. Before washing, pre-treat with Clorox® 2 Darks & Denim. Wash on the hottest recommended water setting with regular detergent and Clorox® 2 Darks & Denim.

My Personal Method for Treating Stains?Pre-treat! I always wet a small hand towel, rub it over a bar of Dove soap, and pat the stain softly {I do this a few times}, then I take a baby hairbrush {the bristles are the perfect texture!}, and scrape it gently over the stain a few times. This tends to lift the stain before it hits the washer machine. Then I toss the garment into the washer with detergent to complete the process. Works like a charm!

1.23.2015

As you can probably tell, I've developed a massivebit of an obsession with the color gray. I love how it pairs with black for the winter months; but it's also a great transition shade for spring, coupling gorgeously with your favorite pastels - as you can, obviously, see here. Who else is crushing?

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1.22.2015

I'm not one to keep up with the Kardashians, but I do keep up with beauty news, and no beauty news has managed to top that of Kylie. Jenner's. lips. Are they real? Are they fake? Are they the result of really amazing contouring and makeup artistry? Answer: who knows? What I do know: I am totally digging the look {and it seems as if the rest of the free world is too}.

Rumor {from Kim Kardashian} has it that Kylie uses MAC's Soar Lip Liner as a liner and lip color {switching occasionally to MAC's Spice Lip Liner}. Given the fact that Soar is forever sold out, finding a dupe of the 90's-esque hue seemed imperative {but not too difficult}. Here are my Top Lipstick and Lipstick + Lip Liner pairings for perfecting the covetedKylie Jenner pout!

1.21.2015

I feel like I'm the only person on the planet who has not read Fifty Shades of Grey {and has no interest in doing so}. Don't get me wrong, I'm a voracious reader, but erotica? I don't think I'm a fan. I am, however, a hugehugehuge fan of gray nail polish, so when OPI sent me the Limited Edition Fifty Shades of Grey Mini Nail Polish Collection I was v. excited to start trying out the shades!

The Fifty Shades of Grey Collection is comprised of 3 gray shades {ranging from a baby-blue toned dove gray to a brooding charcoal}, 2 silver shades, and 1 ravishing red. Judging from the book covers alone, the color assortment seems to encompass the book series v. well. But enough about that...let's look at the swatches!

Dark Side Of The Mood is a Charcoal Gray Creme. I love the play on words of this shade {Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon, anyone?}. This color right here: super thin, yes; but buildable and v. easy to work with. Overall Dark Side Of The Mood is, indeed, a charcoal gray; but it has navy / teal undertones. Lasting time of this one is utterly amazing - days upon days of wearing and no tipwear or chips! This is 3 coats.

My Silk Tie is a Silver Metallic Foil. Le sigh. How pretty is this little number? Not a fan of metallics myself, but this one has captured. my. heart. It doesn't have that glaring, fake silver look to it; rather it leans more...white silver platinum - so in love. Super dreamy formula, as well. It applies evenly without incident {and sans brushstrokes}. My Silk Tie is officially my new favorite metallic silver. This is 2 coats.

Shine For Me is a Silver Foil with Bright Blue Glitter. Is it a glitter top coat? Is it a textured polish? I'm still not positive, but I'm leaning towards the former; therefore I layered it over My Silk Tie {sans top coat}. Shine For Me doesn't have the super gritty feel of a Liquid Sand shade {just a slightly bumpy finish}; however, it is easily buildable {even if you're wearing it on its own}, and gives nice, full-coverage, so it feels more...plush than your typical glitter top coat. The formula? Perfect. This is 2 coats.

Romantically Involved is a Brick Red Creme. Pretty, feminine, classic...Romantically Involved is the epitome of all of the above {and has such a flirty name to boot}. Is it groundbreaking? No {but what red is?}. It is, however, fitting for Valentine's Day, and serves as a great pop of color against the grays and silvers in this collection. The fact that the formula is amazing doesn't hurt much either. This is 2 coats.

Embrace The Gray is a Dolphin Gray Creme. Sooo pretty. This is another fave for me from the collection - I love that there's a super subtle {yet still noticeable} dusty army green undertone to it - very different from other grays in my collection. The formula was, again, amazing. I, sadly, wound up with a wonky brush {not super unusual for a mini bottle}, so I had to be more careful with application; but as long as you have a decent brush, application is a breeze. This is 2 coats.

Cement The Deal is a Blue-Based Dove Gray Creme. If you love pastels, Cement the Deal is so the gray for you because it takes on a baby blue / lavender undertone in certain lights {and looks so amaze worn with chunky white or baby pink sweaters}. The formula here was {surprise, surprise} absolutely amazing. This is 2 coats.

AVAILABILITY:Amazon {on sale!} or Ulta for the mini 6-pack; Ulta for individual bottles.

1.20.2015

Confession time: I have a not-so-secret obsession with Prom Dresses. I love the high drama they convey in either long, full, floor-sweeping skirt version or super-short, barely-there, micro-mini style. I love the over the top embellishments which range from the kitschy {feathers, organza, insane ruffles} to the downright glamorous {give me rhinestones, sequins, and tulle ballerina skirts any day!}, to the undeniably sexy {hello low-cut backs, thigh-high slits, and tongue-in-chic sheer panels}.

I love the way that the jaws of handsome, suited-up boys carrying corsages and high-hopes {mixed with sweaty palms} for the evening drop at just one look at you in your chosen dress. But most of all, I love the uncanny ability that a simple prom dress has to make any girl feel unquestionably beautiful – be it the super shy girl in homeroom who typically retains wallflower status, or your slightly nerdy 20-something English teacher who is dressing up for the first time {to chaperone, mind you}. Simply magical, don’t you agree?

With prom dress shopping season in full-swing {pick up any teen monthly for pretty proof}, I’ve found myself returning to PickeDresses time and time again – not because I’m shopping for a prom dress myself {I wish!}; rather, because prom dresses serve as perfect formal attire inspiration for high school teens or adults who are browsing for ultra-femme ensembles for black tie affairs {now, if only we could browse for dates as easily}. I’ve combed through page after page {after page after page after page} of prom dresses to uncover my Top 3 – I hope you adore them as much as I do!

Sheath/Column Straps Court Train Chiffon Beading Prom Dresses {$174.48}Jaw-droppingly gorgeous, yes? If Carrie Bradshaw’s Naked Dress and Britney Spears’ nude bodysuit with well-placed rhinestones {2004 music video for Toxic} had a love child, this dress would be it. But seriously…the rhinestone embellishment coupled with the champagne-toned chiffon is just stunning!

Sheath/Column Jewel Ankle-length Chiffon Beading Prom Dresses {$150.30}
That thigh-slit though…sheer-paneling, thigh-slit, rhinestone embellishment, exposed back – this dress basically features some of the sexiest details imaginable wrapped up in one. gorgeous. frock. What’s so incredibly brilliant about this piece is that, while being obviously sexy, it’s executed in a tasteful {yet still daring!} way that feels completely sophisticated as opposed to being over the top.

A-line Sweetheart Floor-length Tulle Appliques Prom Dresses {$152.50}
Appliques aren’t typically my thing, but on this dress? Love to the tenth power! They add such dimension to the sheer overlay; while pairing beautifully with the embellished sweetheart bodice.

1.19.2015

Love. This. My nail polish collection is seriously lacking in the purple department, so I quickly fell for Pedal To The Metal.

Shimmery and metallic in finish, Pedal To The Metal has red undertones and is supersupersuper pigmented. This one was such a breeze to work with - quickly building to the perfect opacity and featuring fast dry time. I wore this one for about a week over the holidays and it lasted amazingly well through loads of baking!

1.17.2015

I read all. the. time. so a few years ago my vision dropped from better than 20/20 to can't-see-anything-without-contacts-or-glasses. It was an adjustment I made fairly easily; however, I've still never been a huge fan of glasses {probably because I haven't found a frame I love}. A few months back Firmoo offered me the chance to review a pair of their glasses, so I opted for the #Reon5888 in Tortoise.

First, can we just take a moment to completely swoon over that glasses case? I mean, seriously...it's amazing.

The #Reon5888 is a unisex frame {yes, your BF can borrow them} that has a semi-chunky look yet completely lightweight feel {no joke: they feel weightless}. I chose the Tortoise color/print for 2 reasons: 1} I am a self-professed cat lady and it reminds me of a calico's coat; 2} I am super pale with ash brown hair, and the color works best with my coloring.

I actually love these frames. I still wear my contacts out, and use these in-house only; but I love the feel / fit. They were very comfortable straight out of the box and remain so. For the price {$36.00!} they are also very sturdy. I was at the optometrist's office the other day, and the price of frames is just ridiculously exorbitant. Firmoo offers frames that are just as high-fashion for a smidgen of the price - and that's something that I, personally, cannot resist.

1.16.2015

Glam makeup can be a difficult look to pull-off. You want to avoid going too over the top, but still have fun with a bit of color. The key is effortlessness. Playing up the eyes is a surefire way to keep eye contact across a crowded dance floor and feel super g-l-a-m-o-r-o-u-s at the very same time.

I've been loving turquoise-meets-blue shadow shades with a touch of shimmer for a mermaid-on-land look. Coupled with a peachy flush on cheeks, sweep of blackest black mascara on lashes, and slick of barely-there balm and gloss on lips, the effect is luminous, romantic, and unquestionably striking. Here are 7 of my favorite products for achieving this oh-so glamorous look!

1.15.2015

Ah, prom season…it’s a time for kitschy yet oh-so-memorable promposals {oh yes, that is a word} from cute boys who are eager to wine, dine, and completely dazzle you for an entire evening {not the easiest of tasks, mind you}; a time for corsages being affixed by shaking hands – resulting in the unavoidable pinch by a wayward pin; a time for dancing the night away to semi-cheesy songs with a gaggle of girlfriends {nostalgic yet?}; but, above all else, it’s a time for prom. dress. shopping. Long or short? Sequined or ruffled? Strapless or one-shouldered? Basic black or brightly colored? Empire waists or body con? These are the questions.

I myself did not attend prom {a move I regret greatly; though I have hopes that a similar formal event will come my way so that I can get all glammed up}; however, that doesn’t stop me from fawning over the beautiful bits and bobs from online destinations such as Canada’s very own PickeDresses {my personal fave!}. Regardless of what style you’re seeking - be it plus size prom dresses or stunning wedding party attire – PickeDresses has a little something for everyone.

I’m currently loving their Montreal Prom Dresses selection as it encompasses a little of this and a little of that from every style and color imaginable. Here are my Top 3 faves at the moment. You are going to love, love, lovelovelovelove!

Sheath/Column One Shoulder Floor-length Chiffon Split Front Prom Dresses {$129.56}
A little something I learned from the forever-glamAngelina Jolie…if you’re going to ditch the flirty frock with the barely-there hemline, do it in favor of a thigh-high slit, amiright? I am so in love with this piece. The color is just majestic – very Frozen Elsa Ice Queen meets springtime soirée. It definitely doesn’t hurt that it has an ultra-sexy cut-out back to coordinate with that sassy thigh-slit!

Sheath/Column Bateau Floor-length Chiffon Ruffles Prom Dresses {$126.38}
Is it just me, or does this dress look like something that Amal Alamuddin {aka Mrs. George Clooney} would completely rock? Though I’m not the biggest red fan, this is one dress that I die at. I love the fact that it has a super sophisticated air, yet has that subtle sexiness thing going on due to the sheer skirt. Such a head-turner!

Sheath/Column Sweetheart Floor-length Chiffon Beading Prom Dresses {$133.44}
Blame it on the Carrie Bradshaw Naked Dress, but nude is my weakness. Shoes, bags, sweaters, nail polish, dresses…I adore how low-key yet impossibly luxe the shade is {not to mention a hint coquettish}. The beaded embellishment on the waistline and pleated floor-sweeping skirt make this one even more breathtaking.